The 2008 MSA Sports Elite 11 has some young blood in it this year. Three of the football players on this year’s Elite 11 are not seniors. Two are juniors and one is a freshman. The other eight are seniors. The team is picked from all players in the WPIAL.

Thomas Jefferson is the only team with more than one player. The Jaguars have two this year. Here is the Elite 11 Player of the Year and the rest of the players on the all-star squad.

2008 PLAYER OF THE YEAR

DORIAN BELL
GATEWAY RB-LB 6-1, 225 SR.

Who is the best player in the area? Sound the Bell.

Bell had a big reputation coming into the season and solidified it with a tremendous senior year. He had 116 tackles and seven sacks. In two seasons, he had 236 tackles and 18 sacks. No wonder he is considered one of the top 10 linebackers in the country by recruiting services.

But Bell did more than tackle and cause havoc on defense this season. He also turned into a talented running back, after playing tight end as a junior. He rushed for 885 yards on 83 attempts (10.7 yards per carry average) and scored 17 touchdowns.

“I really liked playing running back, just because I hadn’t done it in a while,” Bell said. “I wouldn’t mind playing it in the future, but I know that’s not where I’ll play.”

Where Bell will play next year is Ohio State. He already has made a verbal commitment to the Buckeyes. He will most likely play linebacker for Ohio State, but said there is a possibility he might play strong safety.

Bell played in a national all-star game in Hawaii last week and also has been selected to play in the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio next month.

THE REST OF THE ELITE 11:

C.J. BROWN
SENECA VALLEY QB 6-3, 190 SR.

Many considered him the best senior quarterback in the WPIAL this season. He averaged 239 yards passing a game, completing 149 of 269 for 2,154 yards and 14 touchdowns. But he wasn’t about just throwing. He ran Seneca Valley’s spread offense with aplomb, also rushing for 640 yards on 131 attempts.

In two years, he completed 272 of 583 for 3,721 yards and also rushed for 1,083 yards. He made a verbal commitment to the University of Maryland in the spring. He is currently playing basketball for Seneca Valley and is one of the best basketball players in WPIAL Class AAAA Section 3.

LYLE MARSH
BETHEL PARK RB-DB 6-1 215 SR.

Bethel Park’s field turned into a Marsh land many times this season. He was one of the main reasons the Black Hawks won the WPIAL Class AAAA title for the first time in school history and made it to the PIAA final.

Marsh, a halfback, rushed for 1,503 yards on 261 attempts, despite missing two games early in the season with an injury. He had a terrific PIAA title game, rushing for 195 yards on 26 carries.

Marsh, an excellent student, is being recruited by Ivy League and Patriot League schools.

JEFF SINCLAIR
HIGHLANDS QB-DB 6-3, 185 SR.

Sinclair was a 1,000/1,000 player this season. He led Highlands to an undefeated regular season and to the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals. He finished with 1,222 yards rushing on 194 attempts. As a thrower, he completed 89 of 168 for 1,262 yards. He scored 24 touchdowns and also was a standout as a safety.

A few Division I schools have expressed interest in Sinclair, but he has no Division I-A scholarship offers yet.

MIKE BONGIVENGO
NEW CASTLE QB 6-0, 190 SR.

Bongivengo is a senior and the Red Hurricanes would love to find someone for next year who could be like Mike.

New Castle started slow, losing its first three games of the season. Then the Hurricanes’ new spread offense started to kick into gear and Bongivengo was double trouble for defenses with his running and throwing. He averaged 244 yards offense a game and the Hurricanes never lost again until the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals.

Bongivengo completed 133 of 217 passes for 2,011 yards. He also came close to rushing for 1,000 yards, gaining 923 on 130 attempts.

BRIAN BALDRIDGE
THOMAS JEFFERSON RB 5-9, 195 SR.

Baldrige missed all but one game of his junior year with a knee injury. This season, he put the hurt on opponents.

Baldrige rushed for 2,312 yards on 291 carries for a Thomas Jefferson team that won the WPIAL Class AAA championship for the third year in a row and the PIAA title for the second consecutive year. Baldrige was a “money” back also, rushing for well over 1,000 yards in the postseason. He had 382 yards in a WPIAL semifinal game against New Castle and 197 in a PIAA quarterfinal against Strong Vincent.

Baldrige had a penchant for finding the end zone, scoring 36 touchdowns.

BROCK DECICCO
THOMAS JEFFERSON TE-DE-LB 6-5, 225 SR.

Considered one of the top tight ends in the eastern part of the country. He has excellent size and very good hands and showed that in the PIAA Class AAA final last week, catching two touchdown passes. He finished with 24 catches for 537 yards.

DeCicco was highly recruited, but made a commitment to Pitt during the season, turning down scholarship offers from Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Tennessee.

RUSHEL SHELL
HOPEWELL RB 5-11, 209 FRESH.

Shell is a fresh face on the Elite 11. He is only a freshman.

Many are saying he has the potential to be a great one. But he already is a pretty good one. He rushed for 1,576 yards on 181 attempts (8.7 average) for a WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinalist. He scored 14 touchdowns and had three consecutive 200-yard games at one point.

Pitt already has offered him a scholarship, and you can bet more will be on the way in the future.

JORDAN HALL
JEANNETTE RB-DB 5-10, 185 SR.

Jeannette didn’t have all-everything Terrelle Pryor this season, but Jordan Hall made sure the Jayhawks had a very successful season.

Hall rushed for more than 1,000 yards and scored 24 touchdowns as the Jayhawks made it to the WPIAL Class AA semifinals.

Hall is one of three WPIAL players who have made verbal commitments to Ohio State. Pitt and Penn State also had offered him scholarships.

PAUL JONES
STO-ROX QB 6-3, 225 JR.

Jones is a common name. But this kid is not your common quarterback. Already has scholarship offers from Pitt, Penn State, North Carolina State, Iowa, Stanford and Duke.

Jones was accurate and productive this season, completing 115 of 186 for 2,020 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also had a big sophomore season and in two years completed 228 of 398 for 3,870 yards.

He also is a pretty fair basketball player, making all-section as a sophomore.

KEVIN WEATHERSPOON
CLAIRTON WR-DB 6-0, 185 JR.

He was the master of the big play. Weatherspoon caught 58 passes this season for 1,468 yards. For those of you not counting at home, that’s 25.3 yards a catch. He also scored 24 touchdowns for a Clairton team that won the WPIAL Class A title and made it to the PIAA final.

Weatherspoon is a Division I prospect for next season and already has a scholarship offer from Pitt.